10 Common Foods That People Think Are Healthy But Aren’t!

Over the last few years, awareness of health and fitness has increased tenfold. People are now weary of what they eat and ensure to include a vigorous workout routine in their daily lives. From restaurants to supermarkets to simply cooking at home, terms such as “low fat” “no sugar” “organic” and “natural” have entered a foodie’s dictionary. However, how many of you actually know the difference between organic and natural food?

Added to that, did you know that a lot of the food we eat on a daily basis, either as a snack or otherwise, is actually not healthy? The name of it or the marketing behind it may make you think it’s healthy, but you might want to be careful with what you believe! Take extra care while reading labels. Here is a list of everyday foods you think are healthy, but are actually not!

1.Energy Bars

One would think most energy bars and protein bars are healthy, but if you carefully read their labels, their nutritional value is almost similar to candy bars! Some bars can have as much sugar as a regular chocolate bar. That being said, there are plenty of healthy ones, just ensure you read the levels of sugar and calories.

2. Packaged Food

Packaged food is known to be unhealthy, but packaged turkey in particular is a big no no. It may be an easy ingredient to make a quick snack or a sandwich, but packaged turkey is filled with sodium, salt, and preservatives.

3. Dried and Preserved Fruits

Now this is a common misconception because dried fruits are known to be healthy. However, the preserved ones are filled with sulfur dioxide in order to keep the freshness, and there’s added sugar in order to add some sweetness to the flavour. In other words, it’s almost like having candy. Again, check the labels for the vitamins and minerals, along with the sugar and sulfur dioxide levels. Get your fruits the natural way!

4. Low fat or Skim Milk

Another common misconception is about skim milk and how it’s healthier simply because of the name. That being said, yes, it does have less fat, but it also takes away the vitamins that make milk healthy. During processing of skim milk, the protein and calcium is lost, therefore to replace these essential elements, skim milk includes synthetic vitamins. The whole point of healthy food is to ensure there is a minimal amount of processing.